The present invention relates to methods and apparatus to aid in the forming of packaging.
There is known packaging apparatus in which plastic film is removed from a roll and delivered to a former. The former forms the plastic film into a tubular configuration. The tubular bag material then passes to a packaging assembly in which the longitudinal edges of the film are sealingly joined and product delivered to internally of the tubular bag material. The tubular bag material is then transversely sealed and cut to form discreet packages.
Such packaging machines are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,663,917, 6,185,200 and 4,910,943.
There is a requirement for bags to be of a square or generally rectangular configuration with corner flanges. Traditional continuous motion vertical form fill and seal packaging machines are not adapted to produce such packages.
It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantage.
There is disclosed herein a machine to aid in forming at least one longitudinal flange on tubular bag material into which there is delivered product so that when the tubular bag material is transversely sealed and cut discreet bags of the product are formed, said machine including an assembly having:
a base providing a slot along which a fold of the tubular bag material passes in a predetermined direction, the base having apertures facing said slot so as to enable the delivery of a hot gas to said slot to heat said fold;
ducts to deliver the hot gas to said apertures; and
a pressure device to apply pressure to the fold so that longitudinally extending portions of the bag forming the fold adhere to form said flange.